Visa Run to Penang with the Motorbike

I am back and it was a nice trip! :-) Nice weather, very low traffic, nice roads and clean air all day long.

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Yep, on July 14th I started at Phuket at about 6:45. My Honda Phantom 200CC was packed and fueled and it took me only about 2 hours to reach Krabi. An our later I stopped in Trang to take some nice Passport/Visa shots. Two 2" sizes are required. They took the head and the rest was Photoshop liquify. Finally I was wearing a nice suit without even changing my cloths.

Another 2 hours later I stopped again in Sadao after having a very enjoyable ride over the mountains to HatYai. Sadao is a small village just at the border and a good place to change some money to Malaysian Ringe. The banks don't have Malaysian Money so you have to go to some special exchanging places inside of shops and offices. It is best to change your money in Thailand and before travelling back don't forget to change your Ringe back to Baht in Malaysia as most Thai Banks won't accept 1, 5 and 10 Ringe Notes.

Crossing the border couldn't be easier. Actually I had to drive back! With the motorbike you simply can cross without even stamp your passport and nobody will remind you. Don't forget to leave your departure card with one of these officers!

The first impression of Malaysia is GREEN. The Motorway is nearly empty and and the whole landscape looks really green. About 1km after the border you will find a gasoline station. In Malaysia Gasoline is much cheaper then in Thailand. (Thailand at the moment 45 Baht 91, Malaysia 27 Baht 97) I fueled up with 97 and my Honda drove much quieter and faster too. It took me only 1 1/2 hours to the bridge connecting the mainland to Penang (Pinang) Island.

The bridge costs you 1.40 and the ferry back was even free (normaly about 1.60 to Penang with the ferry).

I stopped by at Hotel Continental. It is a nice and clean place, has a swimming Pools for relaxing after this nice motorbike ride and in the morning a breakfast buffet. Also it provides a guarded Motobike Parking on 5th Floor - costs 86 Ringe/Night.

As the hotel is situated directly in the old town of Penang it was a good idea to take a walk around after having a swim in the pool (opened from 8AM - 7PM). Many old houses, which formerly might have been looking quite nice, are meanwhile broken and you really have to search for some nice heritage places.

Next morning 15th I took the bike to the Thai Consulate. It couldn't be smoother. Drop by, leave your papers, passport and workpermit and of course your money between 9 and 11 AM (they should be completed!!! check before you start even to do a Visa Run). On the next day you can pickup your stuff again between 2 - 4 PM. A three month nonimmigrant B costs 250 and a 1 year multiple entry 550 Ringe. They will refund you the money when you can't get a multiple Entry one - if you are lucky.

I used the day to travel around the island with my Motorbike. Traffic inside town is very high but as soon as you leave George Town with its 600.000 Inhabitants behind you it will be really empty and quite. Nature takes over the lead.

After the first 15 km you will reach the Holiday Concrets of Penang. I don't like these tourist blocks but ok it's a very small place and then the road will bring you to a lake and its dam. It climbs higher and higher and here it is really really nice to ride your bike. Fresh air, wonderful temperatures and absolutly no traffic and wonderful curves.

The road will lead you over the mountain to the west cost with some very nice small quiet villages. Many local people are living here. The beaches are way not so nice like on Phuket Island. Absolutly no comparrison but the mountain road is something you won't find in Phuket at all!

Riding back to Georgetown will take you again over a mountain and down thru some satellite villages. Art in Concrete - They really look awfull. About 30 - 40 Stories high blocks with thousands of inhabitants in it. It really reminded me to Hong Kong.

I stopped by at the Penang Hill Train but unfortunately it was broken. In the evening I met a nice Indian who showed me around some places. He was actually a driver for students from Saudi Arabia, Jemen, Jordan. Rich Boys which come to Penang to learn English. Most of them can't talk much when they arrive. But they seem to enjoy the livestyle of Penang as it is much more liberal than in their home countries. Some of them are pasing tests for university or return back home after 2-3 months.

Penang has a lot of schools of all kind.

The next morning I took a nice breakfast and swim before riding to the Thai Consulate to pick up my papers. 2:15PM I was ready to start back north.

This time I took the ferry to Butterworth. The Motorway will take you back to the border in about 1 1/2 hours. Don't forget to refill your tanks in Malaysia. Last Gasoline station is about 1 km before the border!

This time - again - I would have been able to simple cross the border without even stopping with the motorbike. You really must pay attention to stop and walk to the booths to get your arrival card and stamps for your passport.

I drove to Hat Yai to meet Ale - a friend and Missionary - and his family. He has 4 boys and a lovely wife. Ale and his boys are running a skateboard group. It was really good to be with friends like him.

On the next morning (about 9 AM) I left Hat Yai to visit Sonkla and take the ride up north along the beaches. Sonkla has very nice beaches, but unfortunately you weren't able to see most of the beaches along the 120km up north. About 40km before Nakhon Sri Thamarath you turn left to cross over to the weather side of Thailand :-) Yeah weather side - the west - Krabi. While the east was totally sunny the sky turned more and more dark the further I came to the west. Riding down the Mountain Range it even started to rain a bit. I was really lucky that it were only small showers. The road between Krabi and Phang Nga City isn't in a very good condition at the moment as they are building 2 more lanes. So you can ride only about 90-100km/h.

Finally I was back on Phuket Island at Home in Rawai at about 4 PM.